Encaustic: Or, Count Caylus's method of painting in the manner of the ancients. To which is added a sure and easy method for fixing of crayons

The mid‑eighteenth‑century treatise offers a concise guide to encaustic painting, addressed to a noble patron and eager to share Count Caylus's revival of an ancient wax technique. Its modest, courteous tone frames the method as a bridge between classical antiquity and contemporary art. Listeners hear why durability and visual effect matter.

The core describes a three‑stage process: first, rub a thin layer of beeswax onto a prepared board or canvas; second, apply water‑based pigments over a light coat of Spanish chalk; third, warm the surface near a fire so the wax melts and locks in colour. This simple method replaces earlier oily mixtures that dried too quickly. An appended section explains a quick way to fix crayons, widening the artist’s palette. Throughout, the author cites Royal Society papers and classical references to ground the technique in both science and tradition.

Listeners will enjoy the blend of practical advice and modest scholarly humor, gaining a vivid glimpse of eighteenth‑century artistic experimentation. It offers a rare window into the practical side of a historical craft.